It’s a candidate’s market, but that doesn’t mean physicians should be casual about the interview, recruiters say

It’s a candidate’s market out there, but that doesn’t mean physicians who are seeking employment should take the interviewing process lightly. Hospitals – which are increasingly in the business of employing physicians – practice groups, and others, are very much interested these days in what kind of doctors they are hiring as well as what they can do.

“We’re seeing more emphasis on trying to determine how a given candidate fits with the support staff and peers,” said Tommy Bohannan, vice president of recruiting for physician search firm Merritt Hawkins.

Today’s changing healthcare system means physicians are increasingly going to have to work in groups to provide care, and be accountable to patients and other team members. Doctors are being asked to provide better “customer service” as keeping the patient happy is “in the forefront of the employer’s mind,” says Bohannan.

Adds Jim Stone, president of The Medicus Firm: “With healthcare reform looming as well as accountable care organizations, employers need to have a solid base of physicians where they can have some influence over their practice style.”

Sophisticated questions

Along with the emphasis on teamwork and communication with peers and patients, Bohannan says physicians will be faced with more sophisticated interviewing techniques. The days when a candidate met with a couple of physicians and maybe the hospital CEO are mostly past, he says.

“It’s much more rigid and a more corporate scenario. There will be someone from the CFO’s office, the administrator of that service line, peers from that service line – it is much more in-depth than it used to be.”

Candidates may also be asked to address any disciplinary actions or complaints turned up in a background check, and they be asked to take a personality test. Questions may be more behavioral in nature, such as, “Describe a recent patient interaction in which your communication skills played a key role in achieving a successful outcome.”

Positive attitude

Employers are going to be eager to make a good match, and the physician should respect that, experts say. That means candidates should have a positive attitude, and do their homework. In most cases they will have information on the salary, the position, and the community, so they should use the interview to convince the employer they are the right fit for the job.

And don’t use the interview to talk about how horrible your former boss was, Bohannon says. “Focusing on your goals for the future will go further than constantly looking to the past,” he says.

Don’t be too casual – in your demeanor -- Stone says. “There are instances where physicians are too casual with an interview and don’t treat it as a professional endeavor – they get on topics such as religion and politics, which can be kind of sticky.” Or, on the other hand, candidates can come across as too guarded, he says. “If you take an interview and you’re interested in the practice it’s important to express interest.”

There are other ways physicians might get tripped up in the interview process. Bohannan says the number one reason candidates don’t get offers is “because they were rude to the person at the front desk.” He says his clients also complain when a candidate starts negotiating for a better offer.

“If both parties have done their job, you will have a pretty good idea of what the compensation is like, where you start and what the potential is,” he says. “If you can’t envision the scenario as initially presented, then you should not go.”

Finally, both recruiters say physicians should not lead a potential employer on. “It’s important to have done your research on the community beforehand to ensure it’s in the realm of possibility for you,” Stone says. “Doing your research ahead of time saves headaches” for everyone.

Bohannan adds that, “If you feel it’s a viable option, let them know. Likewise if it’s not, let them know. Don’t let them think it’s realistic they have a chance to secure your services if they don’t.”

Joyce Routson is a journalist on the HEALTHeCAREERS.com News Beat Team who has written about healthcare, labor and recruiting for a number of publications including the Contra Costa Times, NurseWeek and Staffing Industry Report. A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, she also works as an editor at Industry Intelligence Inc.